Check Chinese supplier before deposit: Uganda, Ghana
Before paying a deposit, match the Chinese supplier’s legal name and credit code to its licence, reconcile the seller, exporter and bank beneficiary, and agree a finished-goods inspection before the balance. Buyers in Uganda, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria should involve their clearing agent early. Cambridge China Bridge checks suppliers in China.
Identify the company before paying a deposit
Ask for the seller’s exact Chinese legal name, unified social credit code and a readable business licence. Compare the name and code with the company record on China’s National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System. Keep the Chinese name alongside any English trading name. Our supplier verification guide covers the wider checks.
The official register did not open during this research. If you cannot open it either, ask the seller for a screenshot of its company record showing the name and code, together with its business licence. Check that both fields match across the documents and your proforma. A seller-provided screenshot helps comparison; it does not replace an independent check.
Reconcile the seller, exporter and beneficiary
Compare the seller on the proforma, the proposed exporter on a draft commercial invoice and the bank account beneficiary. Check whether they are the same company as the licence holder. Ask for the planned invoice before the deposit, then repeat the comparison against the final commercial invoice before the balance. For a machine-specific example, see block machine quote checks for Ghana.
A trading company or an English bank name may explain a difference, but ask for a written explanation and evidence connecting each name to the relevant Chinese legal entity. Obtain and check the licence of any separate company receiving payment. Agree who sells, exports and receives payment, and request corrected documents where needed. Leave the deposit unpaid while the relationship remains unclear.
Stop at these proforma warning signs
Pause if the proforma requests a personal account, names a different beneficiary, or uses a seller name that does not match the licence. Other warning signs include a vague machine description, a missing model or power rating, an unrealistically low price against comparable specifications, and pressure to pay quickly. Ask for a revised proforma and resolve each discrepancy before paying.
For a laundry machine, specify the model, capacity, power rating, voltage, phase, heating method and included accessories. Confirm the supply available at your installation site. Use the laundry and dry-cleaning machine guide as a product example; its UK requirements do not establish destination requirements elsewhere. The proforma guide explains the remaining invoice fields.
Agree the inspection and payment sequence
Propose the sequence in writing before committing: a deposit before production, a balance after inspection of the finished goods, and release of the goods only after payment of the balance and an inspection report you accept. Agree how defects will be corrected and checked again. These are terms to agree with your supplier.
Before the balance, arrange a pre-shipment inspection of the finished machine that will ship. Check its model, specification, rating plate, accessories and test run against the proforma and its attached specification. For laundry equipment, include an agreed operating cycle and checks of the controls and door interlocks. Require the report to identify the inspected machine and record unresolved faults.
Ask your destination clearing agent before the deposit
Destination clearance is normally handled by the buyer’s licensed clearing agent. Send that agent the proforma, proposed exporter details and machine specification before paying a deposit. Ask which documents the supplier must prepare and what needs checking before shipment. Confirm the agent’s current licence with the relevant authority.
Use the country table to identify where to check. For product-specific requirements, check with the authority or your clearing agent. Our Ghana buying guide covers separate product-inspection questions; supplier verification and destination clearance should both be settled before committing.
| Destination | Normal clearance contact | Official body and pre-deposit check |
|---|---|---|
| Uganda | The buyer’s licensed clearing agent | Uganda Revenue Authority. Ask your agent to confirm the route and documents for your shipment. Its regional clearance guidance refers to appointing a licensed agent or obtaining a licence for own clearance. |
| Ghana | The buyer’s licensed clearing agent | Ghana Revenue Authority and its Integrated Customs Management System, ICUMS. Its airport guidance describes declaration submission by the clearing agent through ICUMS. Confirm the procedure for your shipment with the authority or agent. |
| Kenya | The buyer’s licensed clearing agent | Kenya Revenue Authority. Its import guidance describes engaging a customs clearing agent for goods including machinery. Ask the authority or agent to confirm the documents for your exact machine. |
| Nigeria | The buyer’s licensed clearing agent | Nigeria Customs Service. Ask the authority or agent to confirm the agent’s licence, current clearance procedure and documents for your exact order. |
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Get the China-side documents checked
Send the supplier’s licence, proforma, bank details, proposed exporter information and machine specification for a quote check. Overseas buyers receive the same supplier and quote checks as UK buyers. Cambridge China Bridge is a UK company with its own staff in China; the destination clearing agent handles the local clearance work.
Before appointing us, use check us to review our company information. The worked router quote-check note provides an example of reviewing a machine quote. Ask for the discrepancies to be recorded and resolved before you authorise payment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a Chinese supplier before paying a deposit?
Match its exact Chinese legal name and credit code across the licence, register record and proforma. Reconcile the exporter and bank beneficiary, then agree inspection and payment checkpoints.
What if I cannot open China’s company register?
Ask for a readable business licence and a screenshot of the company record showing its name and credit code. Compare both fields, but seek independent verification before relying on seller-provided evidence.
Should I pay if the bank beneficiary is a trading company?
Pause until you have checked that company’s licence and a written explanation of its role. Reconcile the seller, exporter and payee, and correct the documents before paying.
Who clears a machine in Uganda, Ghana, Kenya or Nigeria?
Normally your licensed clearing agent. Check with Uganda Revenue Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority and ICUMS, Kenya Revenue Authority or Nigeria Customs Service. Confirm shipment-specific documents before the deposit.